# How did you become a Pokémon fan?



## Spoon (May 8, 2010)

*How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

The title says it all. 

 Generically, I became a fan when I was five after watching the original show. I quickly got into the show and even watched the re-runs when I could. As a gift, I got Yellow, and creatively named myself, 'AAAAAAA,' and my rival, 'ANN.' I was pretty obsessed as a little kid, so I collected the cards, and collected various Pokémon merchandise, such as Pikachu that would say, "Pikapika," and various other phrases everytime you'd walk past it, the first movie CD, plushes, Pikachu notebook, and Pokémon pencils. I've pretty much been a fan since, but thankfully not to the extent I was when I was little.


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## Blastoise Fortooate (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My earliest memory of it is my mom plopping me down in front of the television, which was tuned to the episode in which Ash gets his Bulbasaur.

It snowballed from there. :X


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## Chopsuey (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I just remember my sister was playing Red, (I was two, to be exact.) and I would sit there, watching, and watching, and watching some more. After a while I asked if I could play. Boom, instant fan. Then when Silver came out.........

I was obsessed. I convinced my parents to buy me a few packs of cards and I started watching the show. The rest is history, equaling one hooked Steele.


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## Autumn (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Back in 2003 (late to the fandom D:) I was pretty much getting into every fandom my newly-discovered best friend liked. At that point that basically amounted to Hamtaro. And then one day at school I thought I saw some kid wearing a Hamtaro shirt, so I told her about it.

She was like "nah, it's prolly Charmander."

"... what's that?"

... yeah. I ended up getting my first Pokémon game, Pokémon Pinball, for Christmas just a few months after that, and then I went out and bought Ruby and Sapphire right after with some Christmas money. Cue huge obsessiveness!


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## Coloursfall (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I was in...like, third grade? (holy crap that was like 11 years go man I feel old now) And the TCG Base Set has just came out I think? A boy in my class gave me a Nidoran Male card, and I was hooked from then on.

I didn't actually own any of the games until GSC came out though; mom got me a GBA, Red, and Silver for Christmas.


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## Chief Zackrai (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I don't know my sister introduced it to me when I was little. She also gave me the first pokemon game I had that held its save: Gold version I still love that game today.


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## IcySapphire (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

The time: Fall/Winter 98
The place: My house

I had just gotten my newest Disney Adventures magazine in the mail. As I paged through the stories, comics, and features, the ad on the very last page got my attention: a bunch of weird creatures about to be caught in a giant net. One of those creatures stood out to me: a tiny yellow mouse with a thunderbolt shaped tail. I kept the little guy in mind as I put the finished magazine on the shelf with all my back issues.

The next day, I asked my best friend just what was this "Pokemon" thing that was taking the school by storm. He proceeded to show me a figurine of the mouse creature. I learn that its name is "Pikachu". 

Later that day, I'm watching TV and a commercial with "Pikachu" in it came on. (the bus commercial) That did it--I went out and got Blue the next day.

The rest is history.


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## Jason-Kun (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I saw the boxart of Sapphire. Once I played it, I was hooked.


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## shadow_lugia (May 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

In first grade (I believe) I received a Spearow card.

However, this small bird killing a worm (which exist in the TCG world) failed to impress me too much. I ocassionally bought more cards, sometimes impressed by the awesome Pokemon, but still relaxed about it.

And then, in fourth or fifth grade, I saw Ruby in a target store.

And Groudon looked totally awesome, since I was on a recent dinosaur craze. And red is my favorite color.

I bought it, spent about an hour in Littleroot Town wondering where the hell I was supposed to go (I'm kind of sad about that; I mean, I got lost in _Littleroot Town_), and eventually received a Treecko.

I loved Pokemon ever since.

It took me a little while to learn about, though:



> What? RESCUER (Treecko) is evolving!
> Me: o_O What?
> *Evolution scene*
> Congratulations! Your RESCUER evolved into GROVYLE!
> Me: ;-; What happened to my Treecko?


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## Patar (May 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Fandom at age 4. Dad was playing the Crystal rom and I was all like :D LET ME PLAY. Feraligatr pwnage and after preschool classes, Pokemon show. I got Ruby and I was like WHERES PIKACHU???? AND WHERES BROCK ASH AND MISTY?????


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## eevee_em (May 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I've liked about Pokemon for about as long I can remember, I would watch the anime when it was on and my brother collected the cards, but it wasn't something I was particularly in to. Then, when I was 10, we moved a block away from a hardcore Pokemon fan, and from him I learned about the existence of the video games. When I was about 12 I got LeafGreen and was hooked.


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## Dannichu (May 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

_Dannichu and Pokemon: A Love Story:_

When I was about ten, everyone in school liked it. My earliest memory is of one friend giving me a picture she drew of a Charmeleon, and another giving me a Bulbasaur card. I watched the TV series (SMTV Live for the _win_), and when my sister and I got our Gameboys, she got Pokemon Blue with hers (she bought an original GB, but I splashed out and got a GBC, so I couldn't afford a decent game), but I loved it way more than she did, so I stole it all the time. Then I got Yellow for Christmas, and I've been hopelessly addicted to it ever since.


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## Shadow Serenity (May 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I started out hating everything about it. I have this odd habit of flat out hating anything that becomes a fad, for no good reason other than it's popular and _everyone _and their goldfish talk about it nonstop for weeks and I get so sick of hearing it.

And then when I felt it started to die down a little (which, actually it really didn't being like... ten or something at the time, what did I know?), I decided to see what all the fuss was about. The earliest memory I have is upstairs in my grandparents house, I stole my grandpa's sitting room to check out an episode in secret. I think that did it. Next thing I remember, I had begged my mom to get me red for Christmas, and my aunt got me Blue because I just couldn't get only one.


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## PinserPerson (May 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My friend gave me some cards during spring cleaning, and I quickly checked out the games.  I was hooked


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## Karkat Vantas (May 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My cousin gave me his old copy of Blue. I played it (and reset a lot). I got addicted.

~the end~


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## Aisling (May 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Wasn't there a thread like this before? If there was I'm pretty sure I posted in it. Major deja vu.

Well, Pokemon Red and Blue came out while I was in kindergarten, so about, uh... eleven years ago, maybe twelve. I heard about it from kids at school, collected the cut-out "cards" on the back of Lunchables boxes, got Red and Blue for my birthday that year.


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## Eonrider (May 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was two or something, I sat under the Christmas tree and unrapped a small Squirtle figurine with a Pokeball to hold it in.  Many years later, I became friends with my neighbour, who had a copy of Emerald.  He let me play it, and soon I managed to pester my parents into buying me Pokemon Ruby.  The rest is history.


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## @lex (May 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Well, it was in... fourth grade, maybe? People in class started getting into it. I didn't think much of it at first - sure, those cards had nice pictures, but eh.

Anyway, I saw people play, and it looked kind of nice. And since this was back when popularity was a lesser issue, I got into it, too. That is, I bought some cards, watched the show, got some other really unnecessary collector's objects... but above all, I got a walkthrough for Red and Blue ^_^ I didn't have the game, but I could still help my friends with theirs.

Then, one day, in a store I saw an issue of some gaming magazine. There was a Pikachu on the cover, so I got it. When I came to the Pokémon part, it said that there would be two new Pokémon games, and it listed all of the new Pokémon. I decided that one of these would be my first Pokémon game, and when I had the brand new game, I'd totally be popular with my classmates.

And, well, I was! Sure, that wasn't the main reason I got the game - that would have been because it was such wonderful fun!


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## Flora (May 16, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

so i was like five and we found the anime somewhere.

got gold for christmas (my first actual video gameeeee) and got hooked


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## Flygon1 (May 22, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Like many Pokemon Trainers, I started my journey by choosing Charmander. I was at a birthday party when I was three, and everyone scrambled to get the Pokemon toppers (the Kanto starters). Somehow I managed to get Charmander, which then sort of snowballed into the fan I am today.


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## Murkrow (May 22, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Watched the Anime when it aired here and wanted to get one of the games after my brother got Red for christmas one year. I didn't get my own game until Sapphire came out though :(

Although my brother did let me play his Yellow after he got Gold, and also downloaded a half Japanese Silver rom for me where Skarmory was called Wooper and the book in the week siblings' house was a diary about someone's suicidal thoughts if I recall correctly.





Dannichu said:


> (SMTV Live for the _win_)


I remember when Ant and Dec were arguing over how Pokémon was pronounced, and once they settled it they showed the episode where he gets Bulbasaur. In the first few seconds Brock said it the "wrong" way and they stopped the show to argue some more. Those were good times.


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## Vriska Serket (May 22, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Old Kirby Tilt n' Tumble game broke and made it impossible to get past the very first part of the first level. I took it in to get it repaired, but they offered to exchange it for another game instead. So I decided to do that that and got Silver, my first Pokémon game.


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## Noctowl (May 22, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Watched the anime, got bored of it, got sapphire many years later. I didn't know red and blue existed; I thought ruby and sapphire were the first ones.

Oh my, I remember that ant and dec thing. WONKY DONKEY ftw.


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## Arylett Charnoa (May 22, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Like many, I one time flipped to the anime when I was like 7 or 8 or something.  I remembered thinking the creatures were fascinating and I wanted to draw them. Then I got hooked and in 2000 bought my first game, Silver. Since then, I've watched the anime on and off and gotten all the newer games. Although there was a brief period where I tried to give it up because I thought it was too "kiddy." I threw out all my Pokemon stuff and I really regret that.


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## ... (May 23, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Like most, my real love for it started with the anime, but it was at a friend's birthday party in 2000 when I saw that they got Gold version and I played it a bit, and loved it. Then I started watching the show. In 2003, I got my first game, Ruby version. And from there, the rest is history.


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## Vipera Magnifica (May 24, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

First played Yellow when I was six, _then_ watched the anime. I got Sapphire four years later. I then took a six-year hiatus, but now I'm back with Soul Silver.


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## spaekle (May 24, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I heard about it from the old-school commercials that were on TV for Red and Blue; kids at school were talking about it, and my cousin got Blue version for her birthday. I remember for a while you could get little Pokemon cutout card things on the backs of Lunchables, and I'd always save my Lunchables box so I could take it home and cut the cards out. :> 

Then at some point my parents let me buy a video game to keep me busy on a road trip. I picked Red version, started with Bulbasaur, and played it so much the first night that my Gameboy overheated from the A/C adapter.

Edit: incidentally, I didn't see the show until I had been a fan of the games for a while. It actually kind of shattered my dreams. I always thought my Pokemon could talk. :'(


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## kyogre77 (May 26, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

i count myself as sorta a pokemon fan because i play the games... pokemon hgss rocks the nds planet! 8D


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## magmavire (May 27, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was three between my two brothers there were 4 gameboys two reds one yellow and five blues. I somehow ended up with a gameboy and a blue been a fan since.:sunglasses:


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## RespectTheBlade (Jun 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I got Red and a gameboy for Christmas. Quickly went to silver/gold, then bought diamond. played 3rd gen on my DS. It was that present that introduced five years of pokemon to me, and I've been a fan ever since.


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## Blazie (Jun 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Not quite sure...all I know is that when I was five I had a yellow gameboy. Don't know if it was colour, lost it in a grocery store =( And when I got my new GBA I also had Crystal, because my friend had Gold. And since then I've been buying each new game. (Though when I get one I somehow end up getting the other two, unlessit's a remake. What the heck.)


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## Dragon On Steroids (Jun 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Bought Red, never looked back.

Even when I was in Secondary School. (Because for some reason, Pokemon in Secondary School isn't cool)


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## Lili (Jun 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Once upon a time, a beautiful, young, single woman became the mother of a crazy-ass ADD baby. It was tedious work. One day, when the child was a two-year-old, the mother thought, _oh my fucken gawd i need sum fucken sleep rite fucken noaw 8|_. But first she needed to keep her lovely crazy-ass daughter entertained. So, the mother turned on the TV and saw a show with a cute, pink, balloon-resembling creature which happily squealed "Jigglypuff!" The toddler stared at the screen intently, mouth wide open and the mother gracefully passed out on the couch.
The End

And now, almost twelve years later, she wonders why the hell I still love Pokemon.


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## WWKÜλ (Jun 15, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

One of my brother's buddies from 3rd grade gave him pokemon red (which for some reason wouldn't save.) and I just sat behind his shoulder and watched him play.
*cue montage music playing over 1 month.*
My half brother had an N64, and had Pokemon stadium, I only played it for a little while before yelling "This game is dumb! It stinks!".
Skip ahead 3 years...
My buddies were into the cards and the games, and one of them left his pokemon sapphire over one day, so I wondered what it was (I have really bad memory.), and huzzah, hooked.


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## ZimD (Jun 15, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I was four and it was the heart of the fad. My brother was somewhat into it and my sister hardcore was. I really did not have a choice. My first game was Red. I sucked at it because I was four, but by age 5 I was... decent.

Taught me how to read a bunch of words so that's good.


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## Anomaly 54 (Jun 15, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Got Emerald and a GBA Micro cos everyone was laughting at me for not knowing Pokémon. Years later and people are asking _Me_ about Pokémon.

What comes around, goes around, I suppose


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## SoulFloatzel_Umbreon (Jul 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

pearl made me a fan but i was playing and watching pokemon since i was 2


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## ProgMetal_64 (Jul 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I was 5. I had just gotten a GBC for Christmas, but no games. So my parents take me to the local Funcoland (a game store, I don't think they're around anymore) to pick up a few games. A game with a bright orange bird on the box caught my attention, and I picked it up. And Gold became my first Pokemon game.

I still have that same cartridge to this day. But it doesn't hold a save anymore :( (damn internal battery...)


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## Altair66 (Jul 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Hated everything about it at first my grandma baught me a blue version and i liked the games from there. I still kinda dislike the anime though.


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## Lady Grimdour (Jul 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Ever since my first copy of Red.


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## Superbird (Jul 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My firend gave me his Firered for 5 minutes and told me to train.  I was like, "What?"


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## Tyranitar freak (Jul 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

The anime. Ironic, 'cause now I hate it.


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## Wargle (Jul 18, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

TL;DR WARNING!!!

I used to watch the anime when I was 3 but I couldn't remember anything. Years later I had found my stash of Pokéball toys that had small figures inside them. I played with them a lot but didn't know what they were. I always wondered what the little bity Barney-thing was doing in one of themm, and a mouse in the other ((dragonite and Pikachu respectively)). Years later when I was 7 I saw the Hoenn Adventures and remebered what the toys and show were about. But back then I was clueless about everything Pokémon, and I only knew the first 151 Pokémon. I thought the strangest Pokémon was Grovyle, because it had a leaf on it's head. much later Then I RP'ed in real life with a group of friends about Pokémon, but I could only do the two Gen's Pokémon. Then one friend desribed a Wolf like thing that had a helmet with a gem in it and had steel gauntlet. He said it fought with a lot of punches and could fire laser beams from its hands. At the time he said it the strongest Pokémon of all. Then I saw it later in a movie and it looked nothing like he described. It was Lucario. Then a year before D/P I knew every Pokémon and a few Gen !Vs, but I was kind of clueless at everthing besides Weavile, Lucario, and Dialga. then before they were released I knew it all.

tl;dr.

Basically, Animé and friends. By the way, the animé episode was the one with the Digletts and Dugtrios.


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## Storm Earth and Fire (Jul 19, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Starting watching the anime. I liked it a lot, so I asked for a Game Boy Color upon hearing there were games.

And so we go off in search of a GBC. That was easy. However, I was most disappointed when Toys 'R Us was out of Pokemon. Hardly surprising, but that's irrelevant to a small child.

I believe I found them about half a year or so later at a GameStop. After having the differences between Red and Blue clearly explained to me (not that I understood them at that age) I went with Blue.


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## Loffyglu (Jul 19, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Hmm... I think I might've been a Pokémon fan for about as long as I can remember, actually! In preschool, I remember my friends and I gathering around the TV and singing the theme song together as the animé came on; I think I pretty much lost interest in it after that, though, believing it to be a "baby" thing, until about 3rd grade or so; I think I started playing Pokémon Ruby then, because I heard some classmates talking about it?

But, uuh... yeah, that's about how I got into Pokémon! I think.


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## Blaziking the God General (Jul 19, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was about 3 or 4, my brother had a Game Boy Color, the only game for it was Pokemon Blue. He played it lots, and I'd always watch, eagerly awaiting the chances I got when he'd let me play it. Eventually, I played it a lot more, and soon after he just flat out gave me the GBC and the game. When I was 8, I think, I realized how boring just one game was, and went out and got Pokemon Sapphire and a GBA. 

And then eventually I caught on to a few Pokemon sites, a few months before D/P were released in Japan, and I was officially obsessed.


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## Adriane (Jul 19, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Watched my cousin play his Gold version, became instantly hooked. Bought a Yellow off someone and then Crystal the year it came out for Christmas.


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## sparky the pikachu (Aug 1, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

March 2010 with super smash bros brawl played as pikachu a lot anda couple weeks later i have platinum. now i have every game except crystal


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## Minish (Aug 1, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

'tis a thrilling tale, of brotherhood and wonder. We'd just moved to England, and I had absolutely no friends. I found a group of boys who were playing Pokemon (by playing Pokemon I mean, running around the playground _pretending to be Pokemon_). I asked "what the heck is Pokemon" and whether I could play; they smirked and told me I could be a Koffing - all I had to do was "run around the field and cough a lot!". So I did. Somehow these kids became my friends.

I became a fan of the card game before I'd even played the games or seen the anime (and I think I might have even seen the first film before I saw the anime, it was never on our marvellous selection of five channels). A boy gave me cards he had doubles of, a Ponyta and a Machoke, and they still remain some of my favourite Pokemon purely because of the nostalgia. :'D

Ahh, I did love that card game.


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## Green (Aug 1, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

once upon a time there was an annoying three-year-old who liked to bother his older half-brother whenever he saw him. so one day his brother gave him a a peice of paper with an angry dragon on it. then over the years his brother gave him more =and more lame cards. then his _other_ half-brother got him a game boy advance and pokemon crystal. then the now six-year-old annoying kid with all the half-brothers quit playing after a while. then when pokemon diamond and pearl came out four years later, the now ten-year-old was intrigued by the cards *yet again*. so he traded an aggron he pulled a while back for an electivire and secretly started an underground trading network through all of fourth grade. then he asked for pearl for christmas and now breathes pixels.


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## ShadowUmbreon (Aug 1, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was four, my next door neighbors let me play their GBC Pokemon game. (I think it was Blue). I then demanded a GBA and Pokemon, which I got, even thought the GBA was technically my little brother's. Then a year later I got my own GBA, Yellow version, a stuffed Pikachu toy that talked when you squeezed its hand/paw, and cards for Christmas. I saw the first movie when it was in theaters and I freaked out when Mewtwo came on the screen. And I haven't stopped playing since. :)


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## Zippo12 (Aug 1, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When i was about 6 years old, my older sister had 2 pokemon blue verisons. She said that 1 of them didnt work. So i asked if i could use it to see if it worked(i was a good lier and i hated pokemon untill i played). So i put in my Game Boy AdvanceSP and started playing it. So, now you people know how it came to be.


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## voltianqueen (Aug 2, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

The first time I _saw_ the anime was when I was 3 or 4 and my mom was flipping through some channels to see if there was anything I wanted to watch. The episode was nearly over, so I didn't really get to see it, although from what I did see I thought it was kinda strange, what with a little yellow creature saying a weird phrase over and over.

Then later, when I was in first grade (was 5 at the time), a boy gave me a Pikachu card on Valentine's day (lol..). I remembered him from TV a long time ago, and since the card had the Pokemon logo on there... Well, actually I don't really remember what happened, but I became a fan!!

I watched Pokemon (and Digimon a little later) everyday after school. On the weekends, my mom would take me and my older sister to the mall, where there was a store called "Heroes Hangout" that had all kinds of geeky stuff (I wish I could go there now!). I bought Pokemon cards there every weekend. Well, I bought three packs, and the rest of the weekends I got Pokemon "Action Flipz" (which were those little things where if you tilt it a certain way, the picture changes). I got nearly all of them ._.

First packs (I still have them)

We rented Pokemon Stadium once, too, and I thought it was so cool. I couldn't wait to own it... I asked for it for Christmas, but no luck :P At the time I didn't know of the existence of Red and Blue, but when we moved from South Carolina back to Tennessee I saw commercials for Pokemon Gold and Silver on TV, sooo next Christmas I asked for a GBC and Silver, which I got.. w00t! Man, I could not get OFF of that game, I loved it so. I was 6 at the time about to be 7. For my seventh birthday (2 months later lol), my grandmother got me Gold, my big sister got me Yellow, and my parents got me Pokemon Stadium :OOOOO

Anyway, yeah.


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## ignore_this_acct (Aug 2, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I've watched the anime since I can remember so I kinda got addicted


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## tymer55 (Aug 6, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

i became a fan of  pokemon when i was younger i looked over my brothers shouder


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## ArceusPalkia916 (Aug 6, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Like 09-ish.At school our teacher allowed you to bring your DS with you as long as you didnt play in class.I walked over to like a group of people and my friend asked me to help her with Sabrina etc. and I won and she was telling me I was pretty good for a first time player. and then the one kid showed me the Regi's.So when I got home I asked if I could get a Pokemon game so we went to Walmart and I got Pearl.And now I cant live without.My mom says its like rooted to my hands xD


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## Forkster (Aug 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Back in... 3rd grade I believe, I went over to my neighbour's house to play some street hockey. He had this magnificent device in his house called a Nintendo 64, which I had never seen before. It was a beatiful shade of pink, and I fell in love. 

Buuuuut.... he wouldn't let me play it because he was busy play SSB. So I made a deal with my dad. If I learned how to ride a bike without training wheels, he would buy me an N64. So naturally, I dedicated myself and two days later we went to Future Shop.

My dad saw the price tag and decided to opt for the cheaper option of a GBA. So I got a GBA and the first game I ever got was, by pure luck, first one on the shelf: Pokemon Crystal.

Ever since then, I've been hooked. And that is my story.


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## Pwnemon (Aug 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My story is very boring. I got a GBA for my fourth birthday and next year my birthday I got Ruby.


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## Strife89 (Aug 14, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When the initial craze hit my hometown, EVERYONE my age was involved in it. (IIRC, I was in the fourth grade then.) It took almost a full year before my brother and I were given some cards by a pair of friends. We started our own collections, and I went on the learn how to play the TCG (never found anyone to actually play against, though; I still have a couple of decks). In 2000, I got a copy of Yellow; my brother played on my save some. By the time we made it to the eighth gym, we got my brother a copy of Red, which had a save file already on it; he used it. I made it to the Elite Four first, but he beat it first.

I got my first copy of Gold in 2002, and got Ruby in late 2003 (for our single Game Boy Advance). John played it more then I, and restarted it three times in total. After that, I was finally able to play the game from start to finish.

John has moved on from Pokémon, but I continue to enjoy the games, and eagerly await Black and White.


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## Evil Link (Aug 14, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My auntie got me into Pokémon by buying me some Pokémon toy figures for my birthday. Poliwag, Poliwhirl and Poliwrath to be exact. I loved them, so I looked out for more Pokémon stuff. I started watching the animé and when Christmas rolled around I got Pokémon Red. I took that everywhere and did nothing else for a long time.

Until Silver was due to come out, that is. I got so excited my mum had to find somewhere that did imported games so I could play it for Christmas, at the time thinking Santa would bring me anything I wanted, even if it hadn't been released yet. xD


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## Mewtwo (Aug 14, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

My third-grade crush and his friends were playing Pokémon RPG (as in they were acting it out) during recess.

Needless to say, I became instant fan!

Also, the reason I got interested was because there was a character named Misty, who they said was a Pokémon trainer. Before I knew exactly what Pokémon was, I thought a trainer was like a teacher, and, ironically enough (as I had never seen a Pokémon before) I thought in my head Misty looked like what I later learned was a Corsola. Seriously, though, before I even saw the anime or anything.


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## Goku (Aug 14, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

when i was about three I got red and blue from my bros.I could not read so i did not play it much. years later, I got passed down pearl when one of my bros. got platinum. later that day I got addicted to the game. than two years later i got to preorder Soul Silver. that same year I preorder *Pokemon Black*


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## Latimew (Aug 15, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I bumped into a shelf in a game store and it dropped a Pokemon Soul Silver game.


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## Hogia (Aug 23, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I was in prep(that is, the grade that precedes grade 1 in primary school), and one of my friends gave me a Pokemon card.

Now I'm in year 7, and still going strong~


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## Lord Mewtwo (Sep 22, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I entered the pokemon world in compete and utter loath of it, in the seventh grade while it was all the rage I would see kids at school with their card collections and my best friend would tell me about the episodes she had seen in her mom's at the time boys daycare, and we would just love to make fun of how stupid we thought it was. But then one day with homework finished I was browsing channels and noticed pokemon was on, so I decided to take a look just to see how stupid it was; Mind you all that time of hating it this is the very first time I had actually seen the show, and believe me I have very much learned my lesson because after that day I became addicted, I had several of the videos and almost all the games. This addiction is long since reformed I am not quite as into it as I once once including the games although I still play every once in a while, in fact I am training for the elite four in my sapphire and actually found this website as I sought out a place to ask a sapphire question(which I will do in the appropriate section).


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## Dawn (Sep 23, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I got into Pokemon maybe a few months after Red and Blue came to America. I was much like the above poster in the belief that, initially, I thought Pokemon was stupid. Mainly because it was elementary school - You see fads come and go all the time, and the fact that it's everywhere and people won't shut up about it just makes it even more annoying.

However, I had seen some of the characters before. I thought they were cute, admittedly, so I got curious and talked to some kids. One of them gave me a Doduo card, and another gave me a Vulpix. I thought Vulpix was insanely cute, and then I got to talking with other kids on the bus about the video games, and I thought it sounded cool. I wasn't into video games before then, so I begged my mom to buy me a GBC and a Pokemon game. Later that week, we went to Toys R' Us and got just that...

After that I watched the anime pretty much religiously, and bought any games when they came out. I was seriously pissed when they got rid of Misty and Brock though, and I didn't watch or play my games for a long time. My DS was stolen sometime between the release of Pokemon Leaf Green and Pokemon Diamond and Pearl - I didn't have the money for a new one until nearly a year after D&P came out, but I did eventually get one and a copy of Diamond. So here I am! :3


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## Worst Username Ever (Oct 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Well, for me, it started when I was 5 or 6, and watching through the weekend morning cartoons. One of them was, well, Pokémon. I instantly got interested in the series and watched it all the time. I also knew there were cards and games, but didn't care much about them at the time... Later, when I was... 7 or 8, I think? the fad hit the school(mostly cards, but I remember some kids bringing their games too). Now, I had always been the kid to not get into fads unless I was actually interested in it, and seeing how I already liked Pokémon, I though "hey, it's cool that it's got so big" and I was given some cards by a random kid to start off(a Koffing, and a Persian collector card, the kind with a picture and info of the Pokémon) and started loving that part of it too (Later, I started playing the ACTUAL game with rules and decks and stuff, and continued until... a year ago or so). Also, at that time I got a new friend who had some of the games(I think Red, Yellow, Gold and Silver)- I tried some of them, and instantly thought "WOAH THIS SHIT IS EPIC" Then, I asked my parents, and finally, for my 9th birthday, got a GBA with Pokemon Crystal. (Later, I found out the anime was kind of lame but I continued loving the games.)


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## Phantom (Oct 8, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I was at the State fair and channel nine was handing out stuff, so I walked over there and they were handing out little super balls with some yellow and black mouse thingy in it. It was the new show coming this fall, Pokemon!

I thought , _it'll never catch on_


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## Dragonclaw (Oct 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I remember when me and my sister used to watch (Well try to anyway; the old Game Boy's made it hard to watch -anyone- play unless you were the one doing it. Bad lighting didn't help either) him play several games, one of which was Pokemon Blue. He eventually gave that cartridge to my sister, and the rest is history. 

Actually, I think my cousin was the gateway to multiple series of games, one of which was Final Fantasy (8 + 9 in particular; I still remember the first scenes from the game I saw him play)


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## Tarinflame (Oct 9, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I remember a few years ago, when my local games store was clearing out its GBA games for DS ones - _Pokemon Emerald_ stood alone on a single shelf. While I did not buy the game, I was rather intrigued, I was not interested in the "Internet" at the time, but I kept remembering the dragon "Pokemon" on the cover, and when Soul Silver hit the stores, I was eventually driven to buy the game, and not pass up an opportunity like this again.


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## BlackTitress (Oct 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was older, I saw the show and generally enjoyed it, although I wouldn't call myself a fan. Then I rented Gold from a blockbuster one day just to try it, I thought the whole point was to "catch 'em all" Like it said in the show, but the boxes got in the way and I just gave up on it. 
Then came grade 1 when I became friends with a couple of pokemon fans and they all loved the game. I eventually saw one of them playing saphire, so I asked for ruby for christmas and I got it. Huge fan ever since.


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## ultimatedarkness (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

around 1998 (when i was born) i first saw pokemon. i just loved the show and stuff so in 2003 when i was around 7 years old i got my first pokemon game! i was so hooked on the game i beat it in a month...:sweatdrop: can you guess what the game is? if you guessed sapphire you were right! (:3) after beating my game and getting bored with it sadly i decided to sell it. so when the DS (copyright nintendo) came out i got daimond, beat the game, and founf out that i could migrate pokemon >:D am i writing a biogrophy???  :sweatdrop:
i had fire red and leaf green from b4 sapphire so i took my blastoise lvl 100, charizard lvl 100, and my venasuar lvl 100 and migrated those (:3) sadly my dog ate my daimond version a few weeks ago (-_-) thankfully i had already traded my giga pokemon to my heart gold!!!  so thats my story ~lawl~

  shoop da whoop!!!


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## Deadly Sniper Goat (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I saw a Charizard lunchbox that spiraled into a long series of events that eventually led to me becoming a Pokemon fan.

Possibly why Charizard is still my favorite, that and the simple fact that Charizard is the best Pokemon without any question.


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## Zoltea (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

It existed. Rofl
First time I saw it in America was on the lunchables.


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## Butterfree (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When the Pokémon craze first started to hit Iceland, a boy in my class got interviewed about it by a newspaper and the article was hung up in our classroom. It was illustrated with the Sugimori art of Pikachu, Mewtwo, Magnemite, Gastly and Drowzee. I thought the creatures looked kind of neat but being the angry non-conformist that I was, I immediately resolved I would not get sucked into this dumb fad like everybody else.

Then my cousins hooked on, and I rolled my eyes when they kept playing their Red and Yellow versions, and eventually they convinced me to try Yellow. I picked it up determined to dislike it, but then I didn't. I fell in love with the creatures (the cute sprites in Yellow really helped - I don't think I'd have gotten so into it if they'd happened to hand me Red, to be honest) and the little I properly understood about the battle system, played it obsessively, made up excuses to see my cousins so I could play it, and then asked for a Game Boy Color and Yellow for Christmas. My parents actually gave it to me and I subsequently spent all day playing it.

Then I went to school, ready to share my excitement over my new awesome Pokémon game, except then everybody had gotten these new awesome games called Gold and Silver. I was immediately determined to dislike them, too, but sometime in the summer I asked for Gold anyway. Then I got Crystal that Christmas, and because I'd found this awesome website called Mew's Hangout, I'd started to make a website of my own that would be totally awesome and the best Pokémon website ever. The end. Except not and here I am eight years later posting on that website's forum.


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## Butterfree (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When the Pokémon craze first started to hit Iceland, a boy in my class got interviewed about it by a newspaper and the article was hung up in our classroom. It was illustrated with the Sugimori art of Pikachu, Mewtwo, Magnemite, Gastly and Drowzee. I thought the creatures looked kind of neat but being the angry non-conformist that I was, I immediately resolved I would not get sucked into this dumb fad like everybody else.

Then my cousins hooked on, and I rolled my eyes when they kept playing their Red and Yellow versions, and eventually they convinced me to try Yellow. I picked it up determined to dislike it, but then I didn't. I fell in love with the creatures (the cute sprites in Yellow really helped - I don't think I'd have gotten so into it if they'd happened to hand me Red, to be honest) and the little I properly understood about the battle system, played it obsessively, made up excuses to see my cousins so I could play it, and then asked for a Game Boy Color and Yellow for Christmas. My parents actually gave it to me and I subsequently spent all day playing it.

Then I went to school, ready to share my excitement over my new awesome Pokémon game, except then everybody had gotten these new awesome games called Gold and Silver. I was immediately determined to dislike them, too, but sometime in the summer I asked for Gold anyway. Then I got Crystal that Christmas, and because I'd found this awesome website called Mew's Hangout, I'd started to make a website of my own that would be totally awesome and the best Pokémon website ever. The end. Except not and here I am eight years later posting on that website's forum.


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## MentheLapin (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was about 3 or 4, or indeed 5, but not 6 (:S) we were going on holiday somewhere and my brother left the car, leaving his GBC on the seat with Pokemon Red in. I picked it up and started playing with it.

...I couldn't work out how to make the text scroll.

But then over the holiday he taught me how to play it, and the rest is history. ...ish.


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## Elliekat (Dec 4, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

One of my best friends when I was in second grade had a Game Boy Color and Red Version, and one day she let me level-grind her Pikachu and Magikarp on it. I fell in love with it and convinced my brother to borrow his friend's Blue Version a couple years later when he got a GBA. And now my brother hates Pokemon and I'm here with three different Pokemon sites in my tabs and a Persian as my profile picture on Facebook XD


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## Steel Scyther (Dec 5, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was a child, my local library let you borrow videos. I found a Pokémon video (it was the one where Ash battles Lt. Surge) and became instantly intrigued. It was years and years before I got an actual game, though.


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## Glaciachan (Dec 6, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I'm not exactly entirely sure how I got into Pokemon, but I think this is what happened:

When I was five or six years old, I went to the library often (I still do). I was often intrigued by the colorful Pokemon strategy guides which were in the kid's section. So, I would take these home a lot to check them out and look at the pictures. So, when I got a Game Boy Color, it was inevitable that I would pick up a Pokemon game; that game was Gold. The rest, as they say, was history.


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## Darumaka (Dec 7, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Some friends got me hooked on the anime. I didn't actually get one of the games until a couple of years or so later.

Don't care for the anime anymore, but I still love the games.


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## Zoltea (Dec 7, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Whenever I see this topic from the index it looks like "How did you become a Pokémon..." This makes me want to make an Insanity thread called this except a ? instead of a ...


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## fresh fruit for Adol (Dec 7, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*



Bachuru said:


> I'd found this awesome website called Mew's Hangout,


Oh my goodness :o so many memories of that place for me. I miss it so much :<

It was some time ago when had first gotten into Pokemon... Being around six or seven when I started hearing about it, I ended up getting Red version for Christmas at the same time my Great Grandma had gotten me a Gameboy Pocket -my first handheld ever <3 I still have it somewhere...- and there was no hesitation in playing it with my cousin. It quickly became the first RPG outside of Chrono Trigger I'd ever gotten hooked on, I wouldn't even play Street Fighter Alpha with my Dad :o my Red version certainly helped me through some hard times though; it's why I always say Pokemon is that one thing that can't possibly fail me. Pokemon has always helped cheer me up since I got into it <:


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## SonicNintendo (Dec 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I can't remember whether me playing Ruby first (yea, I was a little late into the franchise, but FRLG/HGSS and research helped me retain tons of info about the original games) or me watching the anime was first (probably the anime; i think i was 5-ish when I started watching Kanto-season repeats.  I MIGHT watch the BW Anime, but it's on too early.  AND I don't have DVR.

Amazing to think that almost 10 years later, I'm still a fan (and I may have found a kid at school (high school, btw) who is too.)


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## Autumn (Dec 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*



SonicNintendo said:


> Amazing to think that almost 10 years later, I'm still a fan (and I may have found a kid at school (high school, btw) who is too.)


one kid? _one_ kid?

dude. there is something you need to know about high school. *everyone is a fan of Pokémon in it.*

this is why my lunch group randomly got out their Pokéwalkers one day (without me even knowing that they were still buying the games) and started Mystery Gifting.

this is why I know kids that read Super Effective.

this is why I had a Pokémon battle with this one kid in French class once.

this is why there was an article about HG/SS in our school paper last year.


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## Green (Dec 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Leafpool,

Can I come to you school :C


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## Autumn (Dec 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

No because then you'll have to do a stupid graduation project that takes up the majority of seniors' free time. Even when they're still juniors. :C


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## fresh fruit for Adol (Dec 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*



Leafpool said:


> one kid? _one_ kid?
> 
> dude. there is something you need to know about high school. *everyone is a fan of Pokémon in it.*
> 
> ...


Lucky. The only ones at the high school I went to who were Pokemon fans other than myself was my group of friends. Granted, it was fairly large, but nowhere near the size of both campuses :<


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## SonicNintendo (Dec 10, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*



Leafpool said:


> one kid? _one_ kid?
> 
> dude. there is something you need to know about high school. *everyone is a fan of Pokémon in it.*
> 
> ...


LUCKY!!! Well, one kid admitted it.  There have GOT to be more.  And excuse me for being a freshman and having only been in high school for 3 1/2 months-ish (well, since september).  There're about 1000 kids in the school, I'll bet 10% at least are Pokemon fans.


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## Autumn (Dec 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*



SonicNintendo said:


> There're about 1000 kids in the school, I'll bet 10% at least are Pokemon fans.


more like 50%


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## SonicNintendo (Dec 12, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

You're all making me want to investigate...
Actually I forgot that there was another one (i think, chalking the known Pokefan Population to 3 of roughly 1000:  me, my friend (both freshmen) and a junior)).

I'm still thinking around 10%: it is an all male school after all.  OK, maybe 25%.  But it's a statewide thing, so 50% does seem plausible.


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## Lil' Purple Bird (Dec 15, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

According to Mom, I became a fan because everyone else was a fan. But I swear I watched Pokémon the first day of airing. Sometime later, we started collecting the cards (well Mom did, anyway), then we went wild over the first movie and went to Burger King whenever we could. My first Pokémon game was Yellow, which I got for Christmas or my birthday, can't remember, all I know was I was either eight or nine when I first got it. Happiest day of my life.

I continue to be a fan to this day, but more in the game genre. It's a piece of who I am, in a way.


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## ZimD (Dec 19, 2010)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

It was the 90's, and I had an older brother and sister who were 10 and 8.

That should pretty much be self-explanatory.


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## Rose (Jan 23, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I was in elementary school, and I was always the tomboy, and I always watched all the guys play it. Eventually my parents and I stopped at this EB Games, and I saw pokemon Blue and Red in the used section, and I pulled the cute little girl thing on my dad. Next thing I knew I was playing Pokemon Blue. I was hooked then and there, and it only got worse. My entire room was pokemon at one point in time.


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## Rainbow Dash (Feb 18, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I got into it after watching the first movie! I still own it, somewhere. :P

Then I watched the second movie and the show, and liked it even more. :)


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## Spatz (Feb 18, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Combination of Pokemon cards raping my school (lol) and my younger brother getting gold.

The goldbit really tipped the bar however...


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## Melanie (Feb 18, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I was five, my dad found a Game Boy with Blue Version in a customer's sofa (he's an upholsterer). The guy said he could have it, so he gave it to me. I still have that Blue Version and it still works.

I lost interest in it in 2000 or 2001, but got back into it in 2003. I did because I met someone who was really into it, and we became good friends. I had to move away from him in 2004, though.


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## EspiaEspeon (Feb 20, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

When I saw Kirlia on TV, I became a fan.


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## Time Psyduck (Feb 20, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

It started with the TCG, back when there was one set. A friend showed me some and gave me a couple (I recall Machop and Ponyta) and I was interested in the creatures and the cards. I then got two copies of the starter set (not knowing they had the same cards) and started getting the theme decks.


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## Mallory (Mar 4, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Well, I discovered the show when I was very young. I don't remember how long ago that was, but it's been a LONG time. 
After just a few episodes of the show, I just happened to recieve a yellow Gameboy Color, complete with one game: Pokemon Yellow.
That was pretty much the end. I've been hooked ever since.
I go through spouts of obsession and then into dorman period where I don't so much as think of it. As of now, I'm back into liking it a lot.
I've stuck to it through playing a lot of the games....
Pokemon Stadium, Pokemon Snap, Hey you-Pikachu!, Pokemon Colleseum, Pokemon XD, you name it.
I also have seen/owned quite a few of the Pokemon movies.....
Pokemon The Movie, Pokemon 2000 The Power of One, Pokemon Heros, etc etc. I've seen every one of them (released in America) at least once. XD
But ironically I jumped from Pokemon Yellow to Pokemon SoulSilver, so I have a long pause there, lol.
And yes, I do have merchandise, which includes a 24 karat gold Pikachu Pokemon card, purchased from Burger King WAY BACK WHEN, still in it's case and in it's original PokeBall.

I'm a little bit of a freak about it.


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## Dialga Of Time (Mar 11, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

Back when I was 3 years old, I watched the Johto episode in which Ash battles Bugsy. I seemed to like that episode alot, so I asked my parents a year later to buy me Pokemon Red. I finished the game after my brother, and i still play it up to this day, just re-living the best moments of my childhood.


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## bulbasaur (Mar 12, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

I started comparatively recently. It must have been 2004 or 2005. A cousin of mine downloaded Ruby or Sapphire ROM's on his computer and let me play. I was hooked from the start. I longed for each visit to my uncle's.They then moved somewhere farther and the visits became less frequent. My interest in Pokémon waned.

At that time, I was in grade three. It would be over a year before Don came along.

Don came to our school at the beginning of grade 5. Our friendship bloomed rapidly. He put the poster that came with Emerald up on our shared locker. At that moment, I seemed to remember a game called Pokémon...

Even though, Don, you have moved away, that probability dictates very little chance for our reunion, remember that you will always be in my memory...


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## Tarachu (Mar 13, 2011)

*Re: How did you become a Pokémon fan?*

One Saturday morning, when I was three, I watched the premiere of the very first Pokemon episode on KidsWB and I was hooked ever since. I now have pretty much every single game (besides some of the DS games; i.e. Pokemon Ranger, Mystery Dungeon). My first game that I really got into and could understand was Pokemon Silver for the original Gameboy. I have over 1,000 Pokemon cards now, too. :)


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